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Dec. 21, 1943. A. s. GOLDBERG GLIDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug; 7, 1940 lhderdor AARON SG LDBERG Patented Dec. 21, 1943 cuppa CONSTRUCTION Aaron S. Goldberg, Philadelphia, Pa.; assignor to Bunting GliderCompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 7, 1940, Serial No. 351,739

3 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to gliders and is more particularly directed to the type of gliders having a sheet metal valance which is part of the seat frame construction and provides a rigid cover or skirt for the spring seat structure, the valance or rigid cover or skirt portion constituting a part of the structure. This type of construction is more particularly disclosed in my Patent No. 2,177,616, and the present invention is directed to several improvements on such construction.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a glider of this type with a sheet metal valance which is removable from the remainder of the structure and which generally may be installed with great facility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glider construction of this type which offers a rigid support for the back of the knee, thereby greatly enhancing the comfort of the glider.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood by persons skilled in the art from the accompanying drawing and the following descriptions thereof, which serve to illustrate one embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the new glider construction fully assembled;

Fig. 2 shows the suspended unit of the glider construction in partly assembled and partly dissembled condition;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a portion of the valance construction;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the valance construction;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the reinforcing strip on the end plate;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the manner of assembly of the valance to the end plates.

The type of glider to which the present invention is directed is provided with a swingable seat and back. The seats of such constructions commonly slope downwardly from the front to the back and the back slopes backwardly and upwardly. Such constructions when properly designed and dimensioned are restful and relaxing to the occupant. It is frequently found, how ever, that because the front portions of the seats are likely to have substantial vertical movement with the springs on which they rest a lack of rigid support for the under portion of the knee renders the seat somewhat insecure and detracts from the comfort and relaxing quality of the glider. The present invention, therefore, aims to enhance the comfort of the occupant by providing a rigid support for the front portion of the seat. In addition, the present invention aims to provide such rigid support without the addition of structural elements and also to pro vide such rigid support without subjecting the cushions to any increased stress or wear.

More particularly, the present invention accomplishes these objects by providing the sheet metal valance of the glider with a rearwardly projecting ledge preferably directed to the slope or angle which the cushions are designed to assume. The front portions of the cushions rest upon this ledge and are rigidly supported there by. By this means the under portion of the knee of the occupant is given rigid support thus permitting him to slide rearwardly into the seat with comfort and to retain such comfortable position during the swinging of the seat.

The present invention may be employed in a variety of types of sliding gliders. In the slid ing gliders particularly described in the present application the back H, the seat I2 and end panels I3 constitute a swingably suspended unit, the same being suspended from the supporting stand [4 by means of a pair of front and rear suspension bands or strap hangers It provided at each end of the glider.

The present invention is concerned more particularly with the construction of the seat l2 and of its manner of assembly with the end panels I3 which are more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the details of these constructions being further shown in Figs. 3 to 6. Thus each of the end panels l3 is provided with an arm rest It and with a pair of reinforcing strips H and I9 disposed along the front and rear edges respectively of the panel 13, such reinforcing strips being preferably disposed on the outer surface of the panel. The lower'end of each of thereinforcing strips IT and I9 is bent upwardly to form a hook [8 for attachment to the strap hangers I5. Each of the end panels I3 is provided with vertically spaced, headed pins 20, 2| and 22 carried by the front reinforcing portion H and extending inwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. A similar pair of headed pins 23 and 24 are carried by the panel l3 on the rear reinforcing portion IS. The seat frame 25 is provided with suitable bayonet slots for engaging and supporting the frame on the headed pins 2] and 23, the rear of the frame also having a pair of downwardly projecting strips 26 provided with notches for engaging the headed pins 24.

The valance 21 is preferably made of sheet.

valance 2! is provided with a rearwardly projecting relatively'wide ledge 29 at the top thereof, which is sloped at approximately the same angle as the upper face of the coil spring structure 28 when it is assembled and supported by the frame.

The ledge 29 thus may be said to constitute a surface which extends in approximately the same plane as the upper face of the coil spring 28. By this arrangement the under face of the cushions are normally supported in a single plane 7 with the forward portions of the cushions (not shown) overlying and so resting upon the ledge 29, thereby affording a relatively rigid'support for the front portions of the cushions. The rear edge of the ledge 29 is also beaded as shown at 30.

The inner face of the vertical portion of the valance 21 is provided at each end thereofwith a pair of brackets 3| and 32 which are welded or riveted to the valance or which may be attached thereto in any manner desired. The projected portions of these brackets are provided with T- slots 33 and are designed to receive the retaining elements and 22. The thickness of the brackets is approximately the same as the exposed shank portion of the headed pins so that when the assembly is completed the brackets rest flatly and rigidly against the inner face of the end panels l3. It should be noted that the extending portions of the brackets SI and 32 lie in the same plane with the edge of the valance 21 and of the ledge 29. When the assembly thereof is completed the brackets as well as the ends of the valance rest flatly and rigidly against the faces of the end panels l3, thus adding to the rigidity of the structure and assembly.

When the assembly of the present glider is completed, it provides a swingableunit comprising the back seat and end portions which are rigidly united but which nevertheless may be readily disassembled. The spacing and dimensioning of the brackets 3|, 32 and the headed pins is such that when the assembly is completed the oblong portion of the valance 21 is preferably in substantially the same plane and is flush with the front edges of the end panels I3. The valance enhances greatly the appearance of the glider and at the same time permits the employment of seat cushions and back cushions which are interchangeable one with the other. The rearwardly extending ledge provides rigid support for the overlying front portions of the seat cushions and increases the comfort of the occupant of the glider by providing a firm cushioned support immediately below the knees of the occupant.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a glider, the combination of a pair of end panels each having a. pair of reinforcing strips at the front and rear edge thereof respectively, each panel carrying on each edge thereof a plurality of headed pins, a rectangular frame supported by some of said headed pins, a sheet metal front panel disposed between the front edges of said end panels, and concealing the said frame from view, said front panel extending above and below the front edge of the frame, brackets carried by each end of said panel, each bracket having a slot cooperating with some of said pins to support the panel in a position flush with the front edges of the end panels, said front panel also having a rearwardly extending and downwardly sloping flat ledge of substantial width, and a coil spring assembly supported by said frame and having a freely floating resilient cushion supporting surface lying in the plane of said ledge and rearwardly of the same whereby said ledge constitutes a rigid forward extension of said cushion supporting surface.

2. In a glider, the combination of a pair of end panels, a rectangular frame detachably supported by said end panels, a sheet metal front panel disposed between the front edges of said end panels, and concealing said frame from View, means for quick-detachably'and rigidly conecting the front panel to the end panels, said front panel also having a rearwardly extending cushion-supporting fiat ledge of substantial width, and a spring asembly supported by said frame and having a freely floating resilient cushion supporting surface which lies substantially in the plane of said ledge and rearwardly thereof whereby said ledge constitutes a rigid forward extension of said cushion supporting surface, the arrangement being such that the said spring assembly is concealed from frontal view by said front panel.

3. A glider seat unit adapted to be swingably suspended between a pair of vertical end units arranged in laterally spaced subtantially parallel relation and rigidly connected together, said seat unit comprising a pair of end panels, a rectangular frame detachably carried by said end panels, a vertically disposed sheet metal front panel extending across the front of said seat unit quick-detachably secured to said end panels in flush relationship with the front edges of the end panels, said sheet metal panel having a rearwardly directed ledge of substantialwidth for supporting the front portions of seat cushions, and a spring assembly for said seat cushions supported upon said rectangular frame and having a freely floating resilient cushion supporting surface which lies substantially in the plane of said ledge and rearwardly thereof whereby said ledge constitutes a-rigid forward extension of said cushion supporting surface, the arrangement being such that the said spring assembly is concealed from frontal view by said front panel.

AARON S. GOLDBERG. 

